Apparatus for tying a knot



Aug. 24, 1965 E. FREUDLlNG APPARATUS FOR TYING A KNOT 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 4, 1963 INVENTOF Aug. 24, 1965 E. FREUDLING 3,202,445

APPARATUS FOR TYING A KNOT Filed June 4, 1963 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 24, 1965 E. FREUDLING 3,202,445

APPARATUS FOR TYING A KNOT Filed June 4, 1963 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Aug. 24, 1965 E. FREUDLING APPARATUS FOR TYING A KNOT 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 4, 1963 Aug. 1965 E. FREUDLING 3,202,445

APPARATUS FOR TYING A KNOT Filed June 4, 1963 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 /NVENTOP Era j ReaQ/f/h;

Aug. 24, 1965 E. FREUDLING APPARATUS FOR TYING A KNOT 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed June 4, 1963 United States Patent Office i atenteel A 24 ggigg sang-s45 APPARATUS Fill? TYING A KNQT Erwin Freudling, Leihlstrasse 3, Eayreuth, Germany Filed June 4, 1963, Ser. No. 285,258 Claims priority, application Germany, lune 5, 1962, F 36,994 14 Claims. (Cl. 2894} The present invention relates to an apparatus for tying a knot in a strap, and more particularly to apparatus for forming a square knot in a strap extending about an object, such as a package.

It is one object of the present invention to achieve the tying of a square knot by a simple and inexpensive apparatus.

Another object of the invention is to provide an arrangement for tying a square knot by a fast operation requiring little time.

Another object of the present invention is to tie the ends of a piece of a strap extending about a package by a square knot in an automatic operation which can be successively applied to a series of packages.

One embodiment of an apparatus for tying a knot comprises holding means for holding .a piece of a strap; a holding member, preferably of a tapering pointed shape, for forming a pair of coextensive sections in one end of the piece; a pair of loop forming means for forming a pair of crossed loops in the strap sections; threading means, preferably including gripper means, for pulling the other end of the piece through the crossed loops; and means for operating the holding means, the holding member, and the loop-forming means, and the threading means in a timed sequence so as to form a we-avers knot.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, each loop-forming means include a pair of substantially U- shaped loop forming members, one of which is narrower than the other, and turnable. The narrower U-shaped loop forming member is first moved between the legs of the wider U-shaped loop forming member to form an open U-shaped loop, whereupon it is turned through 180 to form a crossed loop. The crossed loops are located in parallel planes, and aligned with each other, so that the threading means can first pass in one direction through the crossed loops to grip the other end of the piece of the strap, then moved in the opposite direction to pull the end of the strap through the crossed loops. When the threading means is then again moved in the opposite direction, while the loop forming means release the crossed loops, the loops are tightened, until they slip oIf the pointed end of the holding member which is preferably moved toward the package during this operation. By further pulling apart the ends of the strap, a tight square knot is formed directly abutting the package which is thus surrounded by a closed loop.

At the beginning of the operation, the holding means and the holding member are arranged in such a position that the length of the piece is suiiicient for forming th crossed loops when the holding member is moved to slacken the strap piece. In this manner, it is not necessary to pull the strap material necessary for the formation of the crossed loops, from the supply of the strap material whereby friction losses are substantially reduced.

At the end of the operation, the excess length of the strap material is pulled in the direction of the supply means, while the holding member moves the part of the strap in which the square knot is formed, toward the package. In this manner, the result is achieved that at the end of the tying operation, the strap tightly surrounds the package While the excess material, necessary for the formation of the loops, is returned to the supply means.

As explained above, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, the loop forming means engage the strap at four spaced points. However, loop forming means engaging the strap on three points only are sufiicient for forming first an open loop and then a crossed loop by turning the engaged points of the strap relative to each other.

Means are provided for operating the holding means for the ends of the piece, the holding member, and the thread ing means with its gripper, in a timed sequence so that the operation can be automatically performed by the machine.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary schematic perspective view illustrating the initial position of the apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of a hold ing member for the strap;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary schematic perspective view illustrating the loop-forming means in an operative position for forming U-shaped loops;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary schematic perspective view illustrating the loop-forming means in a following position for forming crossed loops;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary schematic perspective view illustrating the operation of the threading means;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary schematic perspective view illustrating another position of the threading means, and the release of the crossed loops by the loop-forming means;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary schematic perspective view illustrating the positions of the threading means and holding member during the tightening of the square knot, the loop-formin means being omitted for the sake of clarity;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary schematic perspective view illustrating the holding member and the threading means in a position for further tightening the square knot;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the apparatus for operating the loop-forming means and threading means;

FIG. 10 is a view illustrating the apparatus for operating holding means for one end of the strap;

PEG. 11 is a side elevation of the device shown in FIG. 10;

PEG. 12 is a view of the apparatus for operating the holding member; and

PEG. 13 is a view illustrating the parts of the apparatus by which the knot is finally tightened.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGS. 1 to 8, a strap, rope, twine, string or thread is laid in a loop about a package ll. One end of the piece of the strap is laid about a holding member 15 to form two co-extensive and preferably parallel strap sections 14- and 6. The holding means for the strap end 14 is not shown in FIG. 1, but is illustrated in FIG. 13 to be a lever '77 supporting a clamping lever 79 for turning movement about the pivot pin 78. The strap end 1 3 is guided about a roll 82, and at the beginning of the operation, the holding means 77 is near the position illustrated in chain lines in FIG. 13. The other end 18 of the strap piece is clamped in a second holding means 17 which is best seen in FIG. 11. Holding means 17 includes a tubular element 67, and a rod 65 shiftable within tubular member 67 in the directions of the arrow 72. A hook-shaped gripping portion 66 will clamp the strap end in when strap 65 is moved into tubular member 57, as will be described hereinafter in greater detail.

'a 0.9 The holding member 15 is flat, and tapers to form a pointed end, and at the beginning of the operation, the strap passes about a wider portion of holding member 15. First holding means including a pair of U-shaped hold ing members 2 and 4, and second holding means including a pair of U-shaped holding members 3 and 5 are arranged in parallel planes passing through the strap sections 14 and 16. The legs of the U-shaped members 2 and 3 are spaced greater distances than the legs of the U-shaped members 4 and 5, so that the loop-forming members can be moved in a direction transverse to the direction of straps 14 and Id to the operative position and'fork-shaped end portions 8, 9, 12, 13 engage four spaced points of strap section 16, so that open U-shaped loops 23 and 24 are formed in strap sections 14 and 16. Since strap material is required for forming the loops 23 and 24, the strap sections 14 and 16 are slackened, which is accomplished by moving the holding member in the direction ofthe arrow 25, and the holding means 77 may also be further moved to the right as viewed in FIG. 13.

Loop-forming members 4 and 5 are now turned through an angle of 180 to the position illustrated in FIG.

4 so that the open U-shaped loops 23 and 24 are transformed into the loops 32 and 33 shown in FIG. 4, and these loops will be hereinafter referred to as crossed loops. Holding member 15 moves further in the direction of the arrow 37 to supply material for the formation of the crossed loops. The crossed loops 32 and 33 are located in parallel planes, and register with each other so that a threading means 34 can first be movedin the "direction of the arrow 35 to the position of FIG. 5 in which a gripper means'63 thereon engages the end portion 18 of the strap piece, whereupon the same is released by the holding means 17.

Thereupon, the threading means 34 moves to the position of FIG. 6 and pulls the end of the strap'piece through loops 32 and 33, which areisi'multaneously released by the loop-forming members 2, 3, 4, 5 which move apart toan inoperative position. At the same time, holding means 77 is moved to the left as viewed in FIG. 13 to tighten the crossed loops 32 and 33,

In the following step illustrated in FIG. 7, in whichthe loop-forming means are omitted for the sake of clarity,

the. threading means 34 is moved in the direction of the arrow 43 while holding means 77 is moved in the direction of the arrow 42 whereby the ends .14 and 18 of the 'strappiece, are pulled apart and a loose k not45 is formed through which holding member 15 still passes. Holding member 15 is'moved with knot 45' toward the surface of the package 1 while the ends 14 and 18 are further pulled apart to reduce thesize of the knot until the same extends around the flat tapered holding member 15. While the ends 14 and 18 are further pulled apart, holding member 15 is moved in the direction of the arrow 46 I in FIG. 8 so that the knot is tightened and finally slips off the pointed end of holding member 15 which at this time i is in a position directly adjacent the surface of package 1 reference to FIGS. 9 to 13.

4, shaped open loops 23 and 24, may also be moved opposite to the directions of these arrows during the turning movement of loop-forming members 4 and 5 to provide the additional length of strap necessary for transforming the U-shaped loops 23 and 24 into crossed loops 32 and 33.

It will be appreciated that particularly due to the forkshaped ends of the loop forming members 2, 4, 3, 5, any strap material may be used for the apparatus of the invention, including twine, rope, thread, and wires of various diameters.

The mechanism for performing the operations described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8, will now be described with Referring first to FIG. 9, it will be seen that the loop-forming members 2, 3 are mounted on shafts which are supported in a support 52 for movement in the directions of the arrows 19, 38 and 2h, 39. The ends of the shafts are pivotally'connected with the ends of a pair of bell-crank levers 49 and 50 having bores 47, 48 through which a stationary shaft, not shown, passes. The other ends of levers 49 and 59 are articulated to'a pair of rods 49a and 50a which are reciprocated in the direction of the arrows 49b and 50b by cam followers and rotary cams, not shown, which are of a conventional nature and form part of schematically illustrated control means 51. v

The loop-forming members 4 and 5 are connected for rotation with gears 60 and 61 which (are turnable in the direction of the arrows 3tl-and 31 with loop-forming members 4 and 5. Shafts 4a and 5a are connected to the loop} forming members 4 and 5 for axial movement and are mounted in blocks 4b and 5b which'are pivotally connected with the ends of a pair of bell crank levers 56 and 57 so that shafts 4a and 5a, and loop-forming members 4 and 5 can be moved in the directions of the arrows 21, 40 and 22, 41. Levers 56 and 57 have bores 54 and 55 through which a stationary shaft, not shown, passes, and are operated by rods-55a and 57a which are controlled by cam followers engaging cam grooves in rotary cams, not shown, forming part of the control means 51.

Gear 60 meshes with the gear segment 59 having a bore '58 through which a shaft, not shown, passes so that gear a cam follower and rotary cam means, not shown, prothe control means 51 will cause successive movements and operations of the loop-forming members and of the threading means 34 in the timed sequence described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8. 7

FIGS. 10 and 11 show the mechanism for operating the holding means 17. for thestrap end 18. I A sleeve 67 'is movable in the direction of the arrow 72 along a stationary rod provided with a hook-shaped gripper 66. When'the hook-shaped gripper 66 is located within the tubular member 67, the strap end 18 is clamped as shown The-clamping moyement'of the tubular member 67 is.

controlled by the control means 51 inasmuch as cam means, not shown, control a cam follower connected to a linking rod which turns a bell-crank lever 69 whose fork end has a pair of pins extending into an annular groove in a sleeve 70 which is slidable along a stationary shaft 75. Lever 71 includes two lever arms secured to sleeve 7% and to tubular member 67.

The turning movement of lever 71 in the direction of the arrow 76 in FIG. 10 is accomplished by a rod 74 pivotally connected to the free end of lever 71, and being moved in the direction of the arrow 73 by cam means and cam follower means, not shown, which operate in timed relation with the other cams of the control means 51.

The strap end 14 is connected to a coil of strap material mounted on a reel, not shown. Cam means, not shown, in control means 51 operate a linking rod 30 in the direction of the arrow 81, as shown in FIG. 13, whereby hold ing lever means 77 is turned about a pivot 83. A clamping lever 79 is mounted on the free end of holding lever means 77 for turning movement about pivot 78, and the strap end 14 is threaded between clamping lever 79 and holding lever 77. To provide sufiicient slack for the formation of the knot, holding lever means 77a is placed in the position shown in chain lines in FIG. 13 in which clamping lever '79 drops to the illustrated position in which free passage or strap end 14 between clamping lever 79 and holder lever means 77 is possible. A stationary roller 82 guides the strap end 14 along holding lever 77 in the position 77a. When holding lever 77 is turned to the position shown in solid lines in FIG. 13, the pressure of the strap on clamping lever 79 turns the same in clockwise direction so that the strap end 14 is clamped between holding lever means 77 and clamping lever 79, and further movement of holding lever means 77 in counterclockwise direction causes pulling of strap end 14 in the direction of the arrow for tightening the weavers knot in the positions of FIGS. 7, 8 and 12. The other end 18 of the strap is held by the gripper 63 of threading means 34.

The holding member is an angular end portion of a bell-crank lever 84, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13. One end of bell-crank lever 84 is operated by linking rod 86 which moves in the direction of the arrow- 85 under the control of a cam follower engaging a cam groove in a rotary cam, not shown, of control means 51. Lever 8 is mounted on a sleeve 84a which has an annular groove engaged by the fork arms d1 of a bell-crank lever operated by a linking rod 33 movable in the direction of the arrows 89 under the control of rotary cams, not shown, in control means 51. In this manner, holding member 15 can be shifted in the direction of the arrow 46 to move out of the weavers knot when the same surrounds holding member 15 in the position shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. 18.

As explained above, holding member 15 is moved between the positions shown in FIGS. 1, 3, 6, 7 and 8 from a. position tensioning the strap sections 14 and 16 and the final position supporting the weavers knot directly adjacent the package 1. This movement is accomplished by turning lever 84 about shaft 37 by operation of linking rod 86, and the successive positions 15a, 15b preceding the final position of holding member 15 are illustrated in broken lines in FIG. 13 together with the arrows 25, 37 and 44 which also appear in FIGS. 3, 4 and 7, respectively. One cutter or" the cutting means 93 may also be operated from control means 51, by cam means, cam follower means and a linking rod, not shown.

The operation is started by placing an object or package on a support. Strap material supplied from a supply reel, not shown, is threaded between holding lever 77 and clamping lever 79 in the position shown in broken lines in FIG. 13, and is laid about holding member 15 in the position 15a shown in broken lines in FIG. 13. The strap section 14 between holding means 77, 79 and fit holding member 14 is located in a plane defined by the U-shaped loop-forming members 2 and 4 which are in the inoperative position shown in FIGS. 1 and 9. The strap is laid about the package 11, and its other end is clamped in the second holding means 17 in the position 17a shown in broken lines in FIG. 10. A strap section 16 is thus formed which is located in a plane defined by the U-shaped loop-forming members 3 and 5. The planes of the loop-forming means 2, 4 and 3, 5 are parallel. Control means 51 are now driven by a motor, not shown, so that the loop-forming members 2, 4 and 3, 5 move toward each other to the position shown in FIG. 3. At the same time, the control means 51 cause movement of holding member to the position 15b shown in FIG. 13, and holding means 77, 79 may also be turned in clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 13 to provide sufficient slack in strap sections 14 and 16 for the formation of the U-shaped loops 23, 24.

Control means 51 now cause movement of rod 59a so that gears 619, 61 are turned by gear segment 59, and the loop-forming members 4 and 5 are turned through 180 so as to form two crossed loops 32 and 33. The necessary slack is provided by moving holding member .15 farther in the direction of the arrow 3'7, or loop-forming members 2, 4 and 3, 5 may be slightly moved apart under the control of the cams of the control means 51. Threading means 34 is actuated by the control means 51 to move in the direction of the arrow 35 through the crossed loops 32 and 33, while lever 71 is operated by control means 51 through rod 74 to turn counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 10 whereby holding means 17 moves to the position 17 b to place the end 18 of the strap in the region of the gripper 63 of threading means 3:3 which is advanced to the operative position shown in FIGS. 5 and 10.

Control means 51 now cause retraction of threading means 34 to the inoperative position shown in FIG. 6 so that the thread end 18 is threaded through the crossed loops 32 and 33 which are released by the loop-forming members 2, 4 and 3, 5 moving apart under the control of the cams of the control means 51.

Holding means 77, 79 are now operated by control means 51 to turn in counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 13 whereby the end 14 of the strap is clamped by clamping lever 79, whereby the end 14- is pulled in the direction of the arrow 42 to flatten the loops and to form a loose knot. Threading means 314 still holds with its gripper 63 the end 18, and may perform an advancing movement in the direction of the arrow 43.

Control means 51 cause turning movement of lever 84 in counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 13 so that holding member 15 moves to the position illustrated in dotted lines in FIG. 12, while the knot is further tightened by the movement of holding means '77, 753 until the knot tightly surrounds a wider portion of the tapered holding member 15. Since holding member 15 is now located directly adjacent the package, the strap surrounds the package in .a tight loop.

Control means 51 now cause movement of holding member 15, and is then completely tightened by holding linking rod 89 and turning lever 531, so that member 15 is moved out of the wcavers knot which is continuously tightened by the movement of holding means 77, 79 to follow the tapering contour of holding member 15 until a small square knot slips 017 the pointed end of holding member 15, and is then completely tightened by holding means '77, 79, and preferably also by a small motion of threading means 34 in the direction of the arrow 43. When :a tight square knot is thus completed, the cutting means 93 may be automatically operated from control means 51, or by the operator, and since the supply end of the strap material is still held by holding means 77, 79, the apparatus is ready for the next operation after all parts have been returned to the initial position thereof by the operation of the control means 51.

All linking rods shown in the drawing to extend into the casing of the control means 51, are operatively connected with cam followers which run into endless cam grooves in rotary cams which are rotated in synchronism under the control of a common shaft, not shown, driven by suitable motor. In this manner, the timed sequence of all operation is assured.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of methods for tying knots difien'ng from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in an apparatus for making a square knot in a strap surrounding a package and including U-shaped loop-forming members reciprocable and turn able for making crossed loops in the strap, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimedas new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. An apparatus for tying a knot in a strap, comprising, in combination, holding means for holding a 'piece'of-a strap about an object and for holding the ends of the piece; a holding member movable relative to said holding means from a first position spaced from said object for forming a pair of co-extensive sections in one end of said piece to a second position closely adjacent said object;

, a pair of loop-forming means for forming'in said pair of sections, respectively, a pair of crossed loops; threading said object to said second position so that the knot is' placed adjacent said object before being'tightened.

2. An apparatus for tying a square knot in a strap extendingabout an object, comprising, in combination, first and second holding ,lmeans for holding the ends of a piece of 'a strap so that the strap extends about the object;

'a, holding member for forming two sections in one end of; said piece, said sections extending in onedirection; a p pair of loop-forming means movable transversely tosaid one direction for forming in said strap sections a pair of open loops, said loop-forming means being turnable about axes extending in said transverse direction for forming of said open loops in said strap sections a pair of crossed loops; threading means movable between an inoperative position and an operative position passing through said crossed loops; and means for operating said firs-tand second holding means, said holding member, said in one direction; a pair'of loop-forming means movable transversely to said one direction between an inoperative position, and an operative position for forming in said strap sections a pair of open loops, said loop-forming means being turnable about axes extending in said transverse direction; first operating means for moving said loopforming means to said operative positions; second operating means for turning said loop-forming means in said operative position about said axes whereby crossed loops are formed of said open loops; threading means including gripper means and being movable between an inoperative position and an operative position passing through said crossed loops, said gripper means being located in the region of said second holding means in said operative position of said threading means; and control means for 7 operating said holding means and said operating means,

said holding member,'and said threading means and gripper means in a timed sequence so that said gripper means grip said other end of said piece and said threading means pulls the said other end through said crossed loops while said loop-forming means and said holding member release said strap whereby a square knot is formed of of a strap'so that the 'str-ap extends about the object; a

loop forming means, and said threading means in a timed sequence so that said threading means pulls the said other end throughsaid crossed loops while said loop-forming means and said hol'ding member release saidstrap whereby -a square knot is formed of said crossed loops and said ends.

3. An apparatus for tying a squareknot in'a strap extending about an object, comprising, in combination, first and second holding means for holding the endsof a piece of a strap so that the strap extends about theobject; a holding member for forming two substantially parallel sections in one end of said piece, said sections extending end-s. a

5. An apparatu-sfor tying asquare knot in a strap ex-' holding member for forming two substantially parallel sections in one end of said piece, said sections extending in one direction; a pair of loop-forming means, each loop- -forming means including a pair of loop-forming members movable transversely to said one direction relative to each other between an inoperative position, and an operative position for forming in said strap sections a pair of open loops, one of said'loop-forming 'members of each pair being turnable about an axis extending in said transverse direction; first operating means for moving said loopforming members to said operative position; second operating means for turning said turnable loop-forming members about said axes whereby crossed loops are 'formed of said open loops; threading means movable between an inoperative position and an operative position passing through said crossedloops; and control means for operating said holding means and said operating means, said holding member, and said threading meansin a timed sequence so thatsaid threadingmeans pulls the said other end through saidcrossed loops while said loop-forming means and said holding member release said strap whereby a square knot is formedof said crossed loops and said tending about an object, comprising, in combination, first and second holding means for holding the ends of a piece of a strap so that the strap extends about the object; a holding member for forming two substantially parallel sections in one end of said piece, said sections extending in one direction; a pair of loop-forming means, each looptorming means including a pair of U-shaped loop-forming members movable transversely to said one direction to- Ward and away from each other and between an inoperative spaced'position, and an operative position in which one of said Ushaped members of each pair is located within the other U-shaped member of the respective pair for forming in said strap sections a pair of U-shaped open loops, said one of said loop-forming members'of each pair belng turnable about an axis extending in said transvers'e-direction; first operating means for moving said U-shaped loop-forming members to said operative position; second operating means for turning said turnable U- shaped loop-forming members about said axes whereby crossedloops are formed of said open U-shaped loops;

threading means movable between an inoperative position and an operative position passing through said crossed loops; and control means for operating said holding means and said operating means, said holding member, and said threading means in a timed sequence so that said threading means pulls the said other end through said crossed loops while said loop-forming means and said holding member release said strap whereby a square not is formed of said crossed loops and said ends.

6. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein said U-shaped loop-forming members have free fork-shaped ends for engaging said sections of said strap so that each pair of loop-forming members is adapted to engage four spaced points of the respective strap section.

7. An apparatus for tying a square knot in a strap extending about an object, comprising, in combination, first and second holding means for holding the ends of a piece of a strap so that the strap extends about the object; a holding member for forming two sections in one end of said piece, said sections extending in one direction, said holding member tapering in a direction transverse to said section, and being movable in said transverse direction; a pair of loop-forming means movable transversely to said one direction for forming in said strap sections a pair of open loops, said loop-forming means being t-urnable about axes extending in said transverse direction for forming of said open loops in said strap sections a pair of crossed loops; threading means movable between an inoperative position and an operative position passing through said crossed loops; and means for operating said first and second holding means, said holding member, said loop forming means, and said threading means in a timed sequence so that said threading means pulls the said other end through said crossed loops while said loop forming means and said holding member moving in said transverse direction release said strap whereby a square knot is formed of said crossed loops and said ends.

8. An apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein said holding member is flat and substantially triangular.

9. An apparatus for tying a square knot in a strap extending about an object, comprising, in combination, first and second holding means for holding the ends of a piece of a strap so that the strap extends about the object; a holding member for forming two substantially parallel sections in one end of said piece, said sections extending in one direction, said holding member tapering in a direction transverse to said section, and being movable in said transverse direction, said holding member being movable in said one direction; a pair of loop-forming means movable transversely to said one direction between an inoperative position, and an operative position for forming in said strap sections a pair of open loops, said looptorming means turnable about axes extending in said transverse direction; first operating means for moving said loop-forming means to said operative positions; second operating means for turning said loop-forming means in said operative position about said axes whereby crossed loops are formed of said open loops; third operating means for moving said holding member in said one direction for slackening said strap sections during the formation of said loops; threading means including gripper means and being movable between an inoperative position and an operative position passing through said crossed loops, said gripper means being located in the region of said second holding means in said operative position of said threading means; and control means for operating said holding means and said operating means, said holding member, and said threading means and gripper means in a timed sequence so that said gripper means grip said other end of said piece and said threading means pulls the said other end through said crossed loops while said loop-forming means and said holding member moving in said transverse direction release said strap whereby a square knot is formed of said crossed loops and said ends.

10. An apparatus for tying a square knot in a strap extending about an object, comprising, in combination, first and second holding means for holding the ends of a piece of a strap so that the strap extends about the object; a holding member for forming two sections in one end of said piece, said sections extending in one direction, said holding member tapering in a direction transverse to said section, and being movable in said transverse direction, said holding member being also movable in said one direction for slackening said strap sections; a pair of loopforming means movable transversely to said one direction for forming in said strap sections a pair of open loops, said loop-forming means being turnable about axes extending in said transverse direction for forming of said open loops in said strap sections a pair of crossed loops while said holding member is operated to slacken said strap sections; threading means movable between an inoperative position and an operative position passing through said crossed loops; and means for operating said first and second holding means, said holding member, said loop forming means, and said threading means in a timed sequence so that said threading means pulls the said other end through said crossed loops While said looptorming means and said holding member moving in said transverse direction release said strap whereby a square knot is formed of said crossed loops and said ends.

11. An apparatus for tying a knot in a strap, comprising, in combination, holding means for holding a piece of a strap; a holding member for forming a pair of coextensive sections in one end of said piece; a pair of loopforming means for forming in said pair of strap sections, respectively, a pair of crossed loops, each loop-forming eans including a plurality of engaging portions for engaging spaced points of said sections, said engaging portions being movable relative to each other; threading means for engaging the other end of said piece and being movable through said crossed loops to pull said other end through the same; and means for operating said holdmg means, said holding member, said loop-forming means, and said threading means in a timed sequence so as to form a knot.

12. An apparatus for tying a knot in a strap, ing, in combination, holding means for holding a a strap about an object; a holding member for a pair of co-extensive sections in one end of sa said holding member having a tapered pointed end and being movable relative to said holding means toward and away from, and along the package in two transverse directions; a pair of loop-forming means for forming in said pair of strap sections, respectively, a pair of crossed loops, each loopdorming means including a plurality of engaging port ons for engaging spaced points of said sections, said engaging portions being movable relative to each other; threading means for engaging the other end of said piece and being movable through said crossed loops to pullsaid other end through the same; and means for operating said holding means, said holding member, said loop-forming means, and said threading means in a timed sequence so as to form a knot about said holding memher, and to move said pointed end of said holding member out of the tightened knot.

13. An apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said first and second holding means have clamping means for gripping the strap; wherein said second holding means is moved by said control means to a position adjacent said threading means in said operative position; and wherein said clamping means of said threading means is released under control of said control means when said gripper means of said threading means grips said other end of said strap.

1 An apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said first holding means includes a holding lever turned under the control of said control means, and a clamping lever mounted on said holding lever for clamping one end of said strap piece during turning movement of said holding lever in one direction away from said holding member whereby the knot is tightened.

comprispiece of forming id piece,

(References on following page) 1 1 r 1 2 References Cited by the Examiner 2,646,298 7/53 Leary 2891.5 UNITED STATES PATENTS 78, 29 :5/5 shol'fland 2893 3/80 Neale 289-4 FOREIGN PATENTS 8/82 Ingledue 2894 5 557,533 2/57 Italy. 12/99 Kindley et a1. 2894 5/ 44 Frust 289 -3 DONALD W. PARKER, Primary Examiner.

Gates 28915 

1. AN APPARATUS FOR TYPING A KNOT IN A STRAP, COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, HOLDING MEANS FOR HOLDING A PIECE OF A STRAP ABOUT AN OBJECT AND FOR HOLDING THE ENDS OF THE PIECE; A HOLDING MEMBER MOVABLE RELATIVE TO SAID HOLDING MEANS FROM A FIRST POSITION SPACED FROM SAID OBJECT FOR FORMING A PAIR OF CO-EXTENSIVE SECTIONS IN ONE END OF SAID PIECE TO A SECOND POSITION CLOSELY ADJACENT SAID OBJECT; A PAIR OF LOOP-FORMING MEANS FOR FORMING IN SAID PAIR OF SECTIONS, RESPECTIVELY, A PAIR OF CROSSED LOOPS; THREADING MEANS FOR ENGAGING THE OTHER END OF SAID PIECE AND BEING MOVABLE THROUGH SAID CROSSED LOOPS TO PULL SAID OTHER END THROUGH THE SAME; AND MEANS FOR OPERATING SAID HOLDING MEANS, SAID LOOP-FORMING MEANS, AND SAID THREADING MEANS IN A TIMED SEQUENCE SO AS TO FORM AND TIGHTEN A KNOT IN WHICH SAID HOLDING MEMBER IS LOCATED AND FOR MOVING SAID HOLDING MEMBER RELATIVE TO SAID HOLDING MEANS AND SAID OBJECT TO SAID SECOND POSITION SO THAT THE KNOT IS PLACED ADJACENT SAID PROJECT BEFORE BEING TIGHTENED. 